WILL I HAVE A JOB?
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Q: What is
the unemployment rate for attorneys? A: In 2008, the unemployment rate for the
legal profession (including paralegals) was 2.6%, the highest in years. Citation:
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1569336.html
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Q: What percentage
of
A: UMKC – 94.7%
DOES IT HAVE TO BE A
LAW JOB?
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What percentage of law school graduates actually
practice law or what percentage don’t practice law?11% go toward
non-traditional positions http://askville.amazon.com/practice-law-school-careers/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=42646063&discPage=1
· What are common jobs for graduating law students who do not wish to practice law? 1. Policy positions that involve research, analysis, and advocacy, in writing or orally, and projecting ramifications. 2. Consulting positions conducting needs analyses for clients, identifying problems and obstacles. 3. Auditing and compliance work, monitoring whether people are following the rules. 4. Teaching K-12. 5. University administration, in both colleges and law schools. 6. Counseling and coaching individual clients, whether students, other professionals, or people who feel unable to cope with certain issues. 7. Negotiating on behalf of others, including government entities, corporations, and/or individuals. 8. Business-related journalism and writing for trade publications. 9. Developing and presenting training materials for highly educated audiences. 10. Ministers, priests, and rabbis, both in academic and religious institutions, that involve public speaking, counseling and/or research and writing. Neville, Kate, LAWYERS CAN HAVE AN EDGE IN NON-LEGAL JOBS: Tips On Selling Yourself When the Job Doesn’t Require a JD, February 16,2009, available at http://www.nevillecareerconsulting.com/docs/Non_Legal_Jobs.pdf
HOW HARD WILL I WORK?
· How many hours a week do lawyers on average work? 50 hours per week.
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It seems that hours worked per week depends on
the type/size of firm and how many years out of school. I’ve always wondered what the absolute mean
is on billable hours for a first-year attorney. Answer – 2068 in 2007 http://www.nalp.org/may07billablehrs
WILL I HATE MY JOB?
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How many lawyers are satisfied with their career? 1995, 27% somewhat or very dissatisfied.
33% said they would strongly consider leaving th profession. Patrick Schlitz, On Being A Happy, Healthy,
and Ethical Members of An Unhappy, Unhealthy, and Unethical Profession, 52 Vanderbilt L. Rev.871 (May 1999)
· What percentage of lawyers are satisfied with their choice of profession? 55% http://www.abajournal.com/magazine/pulse_of_the_legal_profession
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Can Lawyers
be Happy? Yes http://www.reuters.com/article/pressrelease/idus203688+30-JUN-2008+PRN20080630
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What percentage of attorneys are unhappy with
their jobs? 75%http://www.usnews.com/usnews/biztech/career/careercoach/archive/060619/escape_hatches_for_unhappy_law.htm
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WILL I KEEP MY JOB?
· Why and how often do associates leave a law firm? The annual attrition rate for entry-level associates was 13.8%, with firms of more than 500 attorneys experiencing a lower rate of departures (11.6%) and smaller firms of 251-500 attorneys a higher rate (17.2%). Minority men were reported as having departed at the rate of 17.5% annually, the highest for any group. . . . Reasons for associate departures were compiled and analyzed in this study of attrition, the first time such an effort has been undertaken. . . . Overall, the most prevalent reason reported for departures was ‘unmet performance standards,’ which was associated with the departures of 20.4% of all associates who left their jobs. Other factors most frequently reported as overall reasons for associate departures included geographic preference (16.8%), advancement opportunities (7.4%) and billable hour pressures (6.1%).The NALP Foundation, Keeping the Keepers II: Mobility and Management of Associates--Entry-Level and Lateral Hiring and Attrition 1998-2003.
· What percentage of lawyers drop the profession due to burnout: (answer found with regard to Massechusettes) Statistics kept by the state Board of Bar Overseers show that the number of nonpracticing lawyers in Massachusetts has risen steadily during the last five years, from about 9,000 to almost 9,800.
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What
is the number of attorneys disbarred each year in MO—> 73 since 2006 The Missouri Court website, http://www.courts.mo.gov/page.asp?id=604
· Question: What are the primary reasons for associate departures from firms? Answer: The primary reason for associate departure is “unmet performance standards.” Other reasons include geographic considerations, advancement opportunities, and billable hour pressure. Citation: http://www.abanet.org/careercounsel/abajournalarchives/associatesonthemove.html
· What percentage of entry-level associates leave their first firm and what size of firm has the highest attrition rate? 8.4% of entry-level associates leave their firm within the first 16 months. Mid-sized firms of 251-500 reported the highest rate of attrition. The NALP Foundation http://www.nalpfoundation.org/webmodules/articles/anmviewer.asp?a=89
WHAT WILL MY JOB COST
ME?
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What is the divorce rate for female attorneys? Answer 10 percent of women with law degrees were
divorced, compared to 7 percent of male lawyers. Citation:
http://www.abajournal.com/news/women_lawyers_have_higher_divorce_rates_need_loving_husbands_researcher_say______________
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14. Do
attorneys suffer from more mental health issues then the general population? In
1990 John Hopkins conducted a study of 103 occupations and attorneys lead the
nation in the incidence of depression. http://blog.cleveland.com/business/2009/02/cleveland_metropolitan_bar_ass.html
· What percentage of lawyers have alcohol problems? 15-18% www.wrongdiagnosis.com/news/lawyers_disproportionately_suffer_from_stress_depression_and_alcohol_abuse.htm
· What percentage of attorneys experience drinking problems? 18 percent of lawyers who practiced for 2 to 20 years and in 25 percent of lawyers who practiced for 20 years or more experience problems. http://www.abajournal.com/news/high-functioning_alcoholic_lawyers_may_defy_stereotypes/
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Since
entering law school I have heard so much about attorneys having a higher rate
of alcoholism and I was curious what causes that and what the bar associations
are doing to combat the problem. "Studies in both
Some fun trivia
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What is the oldest law firm in the
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How many